For Sale: 1966 Chevrolet El Camino in Bradenton, Florida

1966 Chevrolet El Camino Custom SS Tribute �€" 383 Stroker, 4-Speed, Artesian Turquoise Metallic Why This Car Is Special The 1966 Chevrolet El Camino occupies a unique place in American automotive history. Chevrolet revived the El Camino nameplate in 1964 after a four-year hiatus, moving it from its original full-size platform to the mid-size Chevelle platform. By 1966, the car had found its stride. The second-generation El Camino shared its A-body bones with the Chevelle Malibu, giving it car-like handling and a wide range of available powertrains �€" a combination that made it popular with buyers who wanted utility without sacrificing performance. Chevrolet sold just over 35,000 El Caminos in 1966, making it a solid seller in what was still a fairly narrow market niche. The 'car-truck' concept had few real competitors at the time, and the El Camino's Chevelle-based styling gave it a clean, coupe-like profile that aged far better than most utility vehicles of the era. The VIN on this car decodes to a 1966 model year, Chevelle-series body, built at the Norwood, Ohio assembly plant. The Norwood facility was one of Chevrolet's most productive plants during the muscle car era and assembled a large share of high-performance A-body cars. That Norwood origin is a detail worth knowing. What sets this particular 1966 Chevrolet El Camino apart is not just the body �€" it is the combination of a serious engine build, a proper four-speed manual, a comprehensive disc brake conversion at all four corners, and a color that stops people in their tracks. Artesian Turquoise Metallic is a period-correct 1966 Chevrolet color that reads differently depending on the light �€" blue-green in shade, closer to teal in direct sun. Against the black interior and chrome custom wheels, the combination is sharp without being garish. This is a car that has been thoughtfully modified for real-world driving, not just for display. Features List - 383ci Stroker V8 with aluminum heads and aluminum intake manifold - MSD Digital 6AL ignition system - Taylor spark plug wires - 4-Speed manual transmission with floor-mounted shifter - Disc brakes at all four corners with red calipers - Power steering - Power brakes - Air conditioning - Dual exhaust - SS-style hood with cowl induction vents - 383 fender badge - Chrome custom wheels - Michelin Pilot Sport tires - Center console with clock - Tachometer - Wood-grain steering wheel - Pioneer stereo head unit - Black vinyl bench seat - Wood bed floor - Custom El Camino floor mats Mechanical The heart of this 1966 Chevrolet El Camino is a 383 cubic inch stroker V8 �€" a combination built from a 350 small-block Chevy crankshaft stroked into a 350 or 400 block to produce 383 cubic inches of displacement. This is one of the most common and well-regarded small-block builds in hot rodding, and for good reason. The extra stroke adds low-end torque without the high-rpm fussiness of a heavily ported engine. On this car, the engine is topped with aluminum cylinder heads and an aluminum intake manifold, both of which reduce weight over the nose compared to iron equivalents and improve heat dissipation. The result is an engine that responds crisply, pulls hard from low RPM, and does not require a high-strung state of tune to make real power. Ignition duties are handled by an MSD Digital 6AL unit �€" one of the most widely used performance ignition controllers in the industry. The 6AL adds a built-in rev limiter and a multiple-spark discharge at lower RPM, which improves combustion efficiency and throttle response. Taylor spark plug wires complete the ignition package. Under the hood you will also find an A/C compressor plumbed and functional, which is not a small engineering feat on a modified small-block with headers �€" somebody did this correctly. The transmission is a 4-speed manual, shifted through a center console with a period-correct shifter and gear pattern plate visible on the console. The 4-speed pairing with a stroker V8 i